Interested in becoming a member? 
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Come join us for the New Member Orientation beginning at 1:pm for a 60 to 90 minute presentation with time for Q&A. One of the three session will be held the last Sunday of the Month. The location for the presentation will be in the Berkner Building across the street from the bookstore at 1090 Stevens St.   

Session # 1 This session focuses on an overview of the history of the camp and the religion of Spiritualism and provides a broad description of the procedure for becoming a new member.

Session # 2 This Second of three presentations includes the various business and operational aspects of the community. A broad overview of the Bylaws, the Policy Manual and the routine operational requirements of the association. 

Session #3 This Third of three sessions focuses on participation as a member, and potential student.  It includes an overview of current requirements for prospective members who may desire to pursue studies in mediumship, healing and/or ordination. Session 3 also covers volunteerism and participation in church services. 

Visit our CALENDAR, to confirm the event date and time for the month. These sessions can be attended in any order, attendance at all three are required before applying for membership. 
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Once you are a member, you can apply to become a SCSCMA student for certification in Mediumship, Spiritual Healing and Ministerial ordination. 
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A Guide for Students Seeking Certification
 
Prior to officially applying to become a Camp Student, an individual must be a member of the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association (SCSCMA) for a period of three (3) months and actively participate and volunteer in the Camp. The Certification Committee observes each student’s progress experientially, and the Education Committee ascertains each student’s completion of academics and volunteer work. Both committees report their recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Our program of study is a course of spiritual development where the emphasis is on opening to Spirit. Students are encouraged to let Spirit work with them. An attitude that focuses on meeting requirements in the minimum period of time is considered detrimental to a student’s development. The student will follow the guidelines that were required by the SCSCMA at the date of the student’s initial acceptance into the program.
 
The Steps
 
1. Find a Certifying Evaluator (CE) or Ministerial Advisor (MA) and develop of Plan of Study. The CE or MA cannot be a family member or Significant Other.
 
Contact an approved Certifying Evaluator or Ministerial Advisor. A list can be found at the Summerland Office. Fill out the Student/CE/MA Signed Agreement to Abide by Guidelines, and return to the CE/MA.
 
Once you have secured a CE together you will develop a packet consisting of:
 

1. A Letter of Intent – signed by the student and the CE.

1. An Action Plan of Study - signed by the student and the CE.

1. An Acceptance Letter of Commitment by the CE for the student.

1. Student’s Oath of Ethics – signed by the student

 
When all four items are completed, the CE shall forward the packet to the SCSCMA office for processing.
 
2. Submitting Plan of Study to the Certification Committee
When your CE approves your plan of study, submit a typed copy to the Certification Committee along with any documentation of classes and past experiences in this area. Include a registration fee as established by the Board of Trustees.
 
. Under special circumstances, a student may enter the program as a Level 2.
 
Please see Level 2 information to follow the necessary steps.
 
 
3. Completion of Subject Areas and Public Student Status
 
It is expected that students will acquire knowledge and develop at different rates as well as in different ways. Each student must submit a progress report to the Certification Committee and Education Committee every six months. If 6 months report is not submitted on time, then it is required for the CE & Student to communicate to the Education & Certification committees within 30 days of the 6 months due date. If there is no communication with either committee, after the 60 days from 6 months report, then the student’s status will become INACTIVE until further communication between CE & Education & Certification committees. When the CE feels that the student is ready to begin working publicly as a student medium or healer, having entered the program as a Level I, the CE should submit a written recommendation along with the students prepared file to the Certification Committee and Education Committee. This does not apply when a student enters the program as a Level 2.
 
The two committees will then make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees to elevate the student, or not, to a Level 2, which must be approved before the student begins working publicly. It is required that a Level 1 student be under the tutelage of their CE for a period of one year and successfully complete the Platform 101 Decorum course prior to working publicly.
 

• Students entering the program at Level 2 are required to do twelve (12) Supervised Grove Services and six (6) supervised mini-reading events, providing they have taken Platform Decorum and Ethics Classes. After the supervised requirement has been met, the student will be allowed to participate in Student Message Services.

• Certification Committee members are to evaluate any Level student at Grove Services to provide feedback to the CE.

 
No request for advancement to the next level can be considered unless the current six-month report has been submitted and approved by the Certification Committee and Education Committee. Forms are available at the Summerland Office and are due December 15th and June 15th.
 
4. Completion of Studies and Recommendation for Certification
 
The average student will take between four and six years to complete all the requirements for certification by the SCSCMA as a Medium or Healer. Many of our SCSCMA Mediums and Healers studied for more than six (6) years before being certified. There is an average of four (4) years of study for certification. All students develop at different rates. A student must be able to develop their abilities and demonstrate his/her competence to the satisfaction of the CE, Certification Committee, and Education Committee before asking to be granted certification.
 
When the student has completed the educational and experiential studies he/she should write a final progress report and assemble a file with supporting documentation. This report must be accompanied by a letter from the CE stating how the student has accomplished the tasks required for certification. Letters of recommendation from others should be attached. This must include letters from three (3) people who received reading(s) from the student while the Chair of the Certification Committee observed. The three (3) people are selected by the Certification Committee. These people cannot be family members, Significant Others, or friends.
 
The CE then requests that the student is ready to be scheduled for a final exam. These final documents are to be added to the student’s file and submitted to the Education and Certification Committees. The Education Committee will administer the final exam – written or oral – based on the student’s request. Testing is required only at certification. The recommendation of both committees is then to be submitted as a single agenda item for the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees. The final approval for certification will be the responsibility of the Board of Trustees.
 
5. Leave of Absence from Student Program
 
A request for Leave of Absence must be made by the CE on behalf of the student and
cannot exceed six (6) months. The student will remain at their current Level. The request must be reviewed and approved by the Education and Certification Committees. The CE must submit the Leave of Absence to the Board of Trustees for approval. If necessary a student and CE may request an additional extension and information must be reviewed and approved by the Education and Certification Committees. This request should include reason and length of additional leave of absence. Upon returning to the program the student’s level will be reviewed and determined by Education and Certification Committees.
 
Exceptions may be made for personal reasons; including, but not limited to Health and Family issues. These exceptions must be reviewed and approved by the Education and Certification Committees. The CE must submit the Leave of Absence to the Board of Trustees for approval.
 
A student cannot have more than two (2) leaves of absence for separate reasons within a year from submittal.
 
Extended absence from the Student Program will result with the student continuing at their current Level, or returning to a prior Level acceptable to the Education and Certification Committees, and approved by the Board of Trustees.
 
Upon reentering the program, the student curriculum will be the same one used before their Leave of Absence.
 
 
Activities
 
SCSCMA students may participate only in development activities in other Spiritual organizations that are consistent with their approved level of participation in the Camp and only under the supervision of an SCSCMA Minister. Such activities would include messages, mini readings, and healing. Grove messages and mini readings at Student’s Day are not construed as approval to do messages and mini readings elsewhere where ministers and mediums are working and the event is not a student function. Participation in activities not yet permitted at your status level, whether on or off the campgrounds is considered an infraction.
 
Performing unsupervised Private readings or healings is an infraction and not allowed at any student level.
 
Students must take courses with other Camp certified teachers as well for a well-rounded educational experience. Independent courses of study must be pre-approved by the Education Committee and may be applied towards certification.
 
All students at each Level are required to fulfill ten (10) hours monthly of participation and volunteer opportunities.*